THE VISITORS

BOOK REVIEW: THE VISITORS / AUTHOR: SIMON SYLVESTER / PUBLISHER: QUERCUS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

The Visitors is Simon Sylvester’s debut novel, and is a mixture of genres, incorporating fantasy, crime and horror. The main storyline revolves around Flo, a young girl who is isolated on an island with a sparse population; focusing on Flo’s interaction with the people on the island, as well as the new residents of Dog Rock. Underlying all of the characterisation, there is a crime element as people start to disappear. This starts to build in the latter half of the novel.

The story is engaging and there are nods to many different genres. The blurb on the novel is slightly misleading, as the majority of it doesn’t have a massive crime element, concentrating more on myth and character development. Throughout however, it becomes clear why this was needed. Although it has been marketed as a crime novel, there is a minimal amount of emphasis put on the mystery of who caused the killings. Instead, the author focuses on the few characters in the novel and continually develops them throughout. There are a limited number of characters within the novel, so it’s easy to pick up on which character is likely to have caused all the killings. However, Simon Sylvester does well in ensuring that the reader is not just reading to discover that mystery, but also to see the final conclusion of the characters.

The Visitors mixes elements of many different genres to produce a well-crafted book suitable for many readers. Crime readers may not enjoy the book as much as they first thought. The novel should be judged on the quality of the characters and the dramatisation rather than the ending of the who-done-it storyline. Sylvester’s aim is to please many lovers of different genres. Although rather slow in parts, this is to incorporate the mythical element of the novel and to explore the growing relationship between key characters. The defining element of The Visitors is the way it ends up being quite moving once all the revelations of the novel are revealed. It’s well written, well plotted and deserves more attention than it is currently getting when based on its fantasy and character element. It certainly belongs on the bookshelf of any fantasy lover.
 

IT’S EVEN BIGGER ON THE INSIDE

BOOK REVIEW: IT’S EVEN BIGGER ON THE INSIDE / AUTHORS: TIM QUINN, DICKY HOWETT / PUBLISHER: MIWK PUBLISHING / RELEASE DATE: MARCH 3RD

Beginning in the spring of 1982, Tim Quinn and Dicky Howett provided a still-young Doctor Who Magazine with its regular fix of the “funnies” for well over a decade, with two original volumes (The Doctor Who Fun Book and It’s Bigger on the Inside – from whence this compilation takes its name) appearing in 1987 and 1988. Both books and the entire run of three- or four-panel strips, plus longer-form cartoons for the special edition publications and a whole host of other goodies are assembled here in what might be dubbed the definitive Tim and Dicky. It’s quite a collection; more than 200 lovingly presented A4 pages, in both black and white and full colour where appropriate, and for Doctor Who fans of a certain vintage – and more particularly for readers of the magazine – It’s Even Bigger on the Inside is a priceless trip down memory lane.

The artwork itself is, and let’s not beat around the bush, rather eccentrically realised. Dicky Howett is no Dave Gibbons, although nor should he be. Forgoing any attempt at life likenesses in his depiction of the characters, the cast of Howett and author Tim Quinn’s strip Doctor Who? are rendered with a gloriously child-like simplicity, never quite straying into caricature, but never attempting to be anything more than a representation of the actors being portrayed either. The overall effect is one of an overexcited schoolchild having been let loose in the art block and drawing up a storm of his favourite characters, with no self-editing facility for all their physical quirks and blemishes. Howett’s third Doctor in particular is a creation of some edification, and his Peter Davison (the original strips’ leading “actor”, of course) is at once instantly recognisable and yet bears no resemblance to the actual actor whatsoever. There is far less sophistication at work here than in the comic strips of more recent times, but there is also a brio and an insouciance that carries the work through.

Likewise, Tim Quinn’s scripting is somewhat variable. When the punch lines hit home they really tickle the funny bone – and there’s a surprisingly considerable variety in tone and subject too. The strip would as often make fun of fannish preconceptions as it would wallow in childish toilet humour, often making the kinds of jokes that only true devotees of the subject matter might appreciate – and always in the most loving, if more than occasionally sarky, of manners. But for every joke that scores, often with a rather pertinent point buried beneath a veneer of silliness, there’s another one that’s just, well, silly. If the result is a fairly hit-and-miss ratio of truly funny gags (and some of the gags are truly funny), then the cumulative effect of collecting together the strips is basically to bludgeon the reader into a kind of benign submission. It’s a bit like Carry On Doctor Who, in the best possible way; if the last joke didn’t trouble your sense of humour, then another will be along shortly that will. But all the while the slightly inadequate variations on the Doctors, companions, monsters and villains included herein, draw you into their world in the same way as Kenneth Williams and Sid James once did at the cinema. In some ways, it’s an acquired taste, but it’s a taste that’s really not difficult to acquire. You just sort of surrender to it.

Regular readers of Doctor Who Magazine back in the 1980s and early 1990s – even those who haven’t been back and revisited those old editions – will find themselves nodding along in recognition. Indeed, it is shocking to realise quite how many of these strips spring out of the memory even as the reader is approaching the final panel. But It’s Even Bigger on the Inside isn’t only a work of nostalgia. There is enough good nature in the humour, enough detail hidden in the characterisations, and enough plain Doctor Who-ness about these strips to satisfy most fans, and the volume appeals on much the same level as Steven Moffat’s Comic Relief spoof The Curse of Fatal Death did, or even – in the way in which Quinn and Howett manage to generate a sense of affection while essentially emphasising elements that weren’t quite as significant in the original – Terrance Dicks’ script for The Five Doctors. It’s a genuine achievement to be able to parody or pastiche something without ever tipping over into unpleasantness, but Quinn and Howett’s book is so good-natured they make it look easy. They have even managed to engender a sense of fondness for 1980s Doctor Who in this hardened JNT sceptic.

As is so often the case, It’s Even Bigger on the Inside is something of a difficult book to dip into. Once you get started, you simply can’t help yourself saying “Just one more page…” and before you realise what you’ve done, you’ve relinquished an entire evening to it. This is a lavish and easy to love treasury of some of the most fondly remembered off-screen Doctor Who moments from a decade in which the programme was under-performing on its televisual stage, and it deserves a far wider reception than merely among nostalgia-buffs of its magazine origins.

ROOK SONG

BOOK REVIEW: ROOK SONG / AUTHOR: NAOMI FOYLE / PUBLISHER: JO FLETCHER BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Our protagonist, Astra is in recovery from the Neurohospice we last saw her and is now working in a CONC (Council of New Continents) laundrette. It was at the hospice she suffered a painful genital branding, and Memory Pacification Treatment (MPT) to prevent her from becoming a further threat to IMBOD (Is-Land Ministry of Border Defence), who she defied by avoiding her security shot to become a Sec-Gen (Security-Generation). She is in exile from her homeland of Is-Land, for a crime she could never regret, and has been given sanctuary by CONC in the ambiguous Non-Land. Here she is given the task of providing humanitarian aid to the poverty-stricken region. She uses her new position to begin her quest of finding her code (birth) father, whom she has never met, and seek revenge for the death of her shelter mother, Hokma. Astra finds herself quickly embroiled in a world of mutable loyalties, competing political agendas, and the Istar prophecy that her childhood friend Lil says she fulfils.

The second instalment of The Gaia Chronicles, Rook Song continues to develop Astra’s story, taking the reader through many illuminating, horrifying and overwhelming avenues. There are four political groups that Astra is torn between. Her sanctuary and employer CONC; a group that often sits on the fence in an attempt to prevent conflict and provides humanitarian aid to Non-Land, IMBOD; Astra’s enemy, those who tortured her upon the discovery that she was not a Sec-Gen and controllers of the Gaian army of Sec-Gens, N-LA (Non-Land Alliance); the political group vying for Non-Lander’s rightful access to Is-Land, and YAC (Youth Action Collective); a group of youths gaining political power who worship the prophecy of Istar, and are also seeking Is-Land and Non-Land to become One-Land. It is up to Astra to decide who she can trust, and more importantly, who can ultimately unite the two warring countries.

The layout of each chapter is from the perspective of different characters, who all have a role to play before the end. This is initially confusing as they are often presented without much context, which is given later, and as such makes it a harder story to get into than its predecessor. At the start of the book there is a character list, or ‘Dramatis Personae’, and a map highlighting the key locations in the novel, which helps somewhat but the opening is still difficult to get your head around. The story itself doesn’t kick into gear until approximately halfway through, after the new and old characters have been (re)established and Astra is permitted to begin to explore Non-Land and its cultures. That being said, once the story really starts, it doesn’t let up. The highly politicised narrative is an enthralling and absorbing read, particularly when the development of IMBOD’s Sec-Gen’s is revealed and the devastating effect they have on those who stand in their way.

Where the first book offered a shocking, but somewhat aspirational alternative way of living, Rook Song delves further into the political influence that enables the way of life the Gaian’s are privileged to inhabit. The ‘nonners’ (Non-Land people) present a more recognisable way of life to the reader; through the social constructs of marriage, meat-eating and the use of animal labour and vehicles, but this is not seen as positive or beneficial. Offering plenty of twists and surprises, Rook Song outdoes its predecessor with a more developed story and plenty of conspiracies that pull the reader in. Book one was a comment on how society should live to protect the planet, book two is a comment on how people should prevent international conflict and wars. We can only wait with bated breath to see what book three will campaign for.
 

IMPULSE: LIGHTSHIP CHRONICLES (BOOK ONE)

BOOK REVIEW: IMPULSE: LIGHTSHIP CHRONICLES, BOOK ONE / AUTHOR: DAVE BARA / PUBLISHER: DEL RAY / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

A post-apocalyptic tale of a different kind, Impulse focuses upon humanity trying to explore and rebuild its isolated societies following the near total collapse of galactic civilisation. Determined to form a standing government, a small coalition of planets establish a project to send envoys to distant stars and unite humanity.

Effectively combining early Star Trek with Great Crusade-era Warhammer 40,000, the setting is easily the biggest draw here. From the very beginning, there is a great sense that this is a truly massive world, and Bara slowly interweaves new facts and details about the narrative as the story progresses. This works in its favour as it frees up the book to rapidly shift back and forth between the action sequences and the quieter moments between characters. The crew themselves prove to be wonderfully diverse. While often they can be slotted into various military archetypes, there’s always a human quirk to their dialogue that makes them feel far more alive.

Sadly, despite these strengths, the descriptions and details are very by-the-numbers. Certain technical operational details and the like are well thought-out, but it never enters any truly lengthy descriptions of the surroundings or technology. For such a vast world, it’s easy to feel that some of the grander and most interesting details are being overlooked as a result. At the same time, the story’s lightning pace makes it suited for light reading, but at the same time it might have benefitted from a more directly episodic format given the shifting locations.

Impulse shows what J. J. Abrams could have done with Into Darkness if he was a less obsessed with flashy effects and more interested substantial storytelling. Its ideas are what help buoy it up more than the core story, but it’s enough to warrant a proper look.

A CORNELIUS CALENDAR

BOOK REVIEW: A CORNELIUS CALENDAR / AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOORCOCK / PUBLISHER: GOLLANCZ / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Gollancz has been busy reprinting everything written by Michael Moorcock into a set of collectable editions available in both print and eBook editions. As part of that is the 860 page (yes, 860!) A Cornelius Calendar.

Any examination of Michael Moorcock’s work will cover his pure fantasy works (mostly 1960s and ‘70s) and his more literary works (mostly 1980s – ‘90s, but continuing). In the middle of all of this is his quintessential secret agent, superhero adventurer, physicist, all things to all men (and women), the false Harlequin, and English assassin, Jerry Cornelius. Cornelius features in many of Moorcock’s stories and stars in several. This collection isn’t the essential Cornelius reader (for that pick up a copy of The Cornelius Quartet) nor is it everything else (see Jerry Cornelius: his lives and his times). Here then is a mere 860 pages of other works connected to the rock star messiah to the Age of Science.

The Calendar comprises six books, the best being the first: The Adventures of Una Persson and Catherine Cornelius in the Twentieth Century (1976). The rest are The Entropy Tango (1981), The Great Rock and Roll Swindle (1981), The Alchemist’s Question (1984), Firing the Cathedral (2002) and Modem Times 2.0 (2011). A similar collection, also called A Cornelius Calendar, was produced in 1993 and consisted of the first four novels (though the fourth was called Gold Diggers of 1977).

The first story is almost worth the investment alone, and focuses on Jerry’s sister Catherine as she wanders around slices of parallel twentieth centuries with her sometime lover Una Persson. The other titles all have their merits (even if Modem Times 2.0 is a little self-indulgent); for those who don’t know, The Great Rock and Roll Swindle is the book of the Sex Pistols film. At the time it was stated that on being given the chance to write the screenplay, Moorcock just wrote a Jerry Cornelius story instead. True or not, Moorcok’s rock and roll credentials are as good as many authors – he has a long running connection to Hawkwind whose Silver Machine has been cited as an influence on the Pistols. Music aside, (and there is plenty of music in The Alchemist’s Question) all the stories are told in a fragmented style, ensembles of snippets of news, history and moments in various lives. Even if not the most important Cornelius stories, these still justify their place in any serious collection.

Perhaps not a good entry point for newcomers to Michael Moorcock’s writing, this is an essential purchase for anyone who has ever enjoyed a Jerry Cornelius story.
 

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THE FANGIRL’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY: A HANDBOOK FOR GIRL GEEKS /


BOOK REVIEW: THE FANGIRL’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY: A HANDBOOK FOR GIRL GEEKS / AUTHOR: SAM MAGGS / PUBLISHER: QUIRK BOOKS / RELEASE DATE:  MAY 12TH (EBOOK), JUNE 12TH (PAPERBACK)


Since the turn of the century, the glorious world of geekdom has been ever expanding. Things that used to be a niche retreat for a mostly male and steadily ageing audience have now been embraced by a wider demographic. Greater exposure has brought more diversity and more people. It also means terminology has adapted and changed, with entirely new elements of the geek subculture forming seemingly overnight. Change is good, but also confusing and stressful for all involved.


The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy is a book aimed at making life easier for a large chunk of the fandom. It’s intended for those making their first few faltering steps into geekdom and quite sensibly feels that some sort of guidebook is required. Squarely aimed at the younger generation, it’s written in a relentlessly chirpy style that introduces the quirks and code words of the modern geek.


Sam Maggs love for all things strange and fannish permeates it’s way throughout this book; every page feels like a well written but enthusiastic post on social media. The author takes us through all elements of modern geek life; from how to deal with internet trolls, how social media can help you, where to start with fanfiction, what to pack when going to a comic-con and so on. It’s full of useful advice and it also goes one step further; it explains in clear and simple terms what feminism is, and busts various myths about the social movement as it goes along. 


It does suffer from being US-centred; the convention guide only covers North America, though the most of the advice is solid regardless of where you are in the world.  Some of the references are quite current and it’s likely that this book will date quite quickly. A bit of more depth to some of the older aspects of the fandom would also have been nice as well. After all, Doctor Who is over 50 years old and Worldcon is even older than that, but this is a guide aimed at beginners, so the lack of depth is more a feature than a flaw. It does have some great interviews as well, and these work as a handy starting point for those looking to get into all sorts of geeky things.


If you’re the sort of gentleman who shifts uncomfortably at the phrase ‘Geek Feminism’ and feel a little bit out of your depth when faced with a whole new generation of excited female fans start talking about their ‘SuperWhoLocks’ and the like, then you need to read this book. Carefully and with an open mind. If you have a teenage girl geek in your life (or you’re one yourself), then this is an excellent starting point. Highly recommended.


ZOM-B BRIDE

BOOK REVIEW: ZOM-B BRIDE / AUTHOR: DARREN SHAN / PUBLISHER: SIMON & SCHUSTER CHILDREN’S BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

It’s been a while since we’ve checked in with everybody’s favourite annoying teenage zombie, B Smith (two books, but who’s counting?), but now she’s here again.

Darren Shan has never really been on for subtlety, and so it follows that this volume is pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. Which is a shame, as in a book that’s about 200 pages long you want a surprise every now and then. The only real surprise is how the end of the book develops, which sets things up nicely for the next book. But honestly, this series has felt from the beginning like it’s not really going anywhere; a spark of originality was clearly not enough to carry a whole 12-book series. The pieces are being put into place for some sort of epic confrontation, but we can pretty much guarantee it’s not going to live up to the build-up. But we’ll dwell more on this when the series is over.

For now, we can pretty much confirm what you’d expect: this is another run of the mill Darren Shan novel of the kind he’s been pumping out consistently for almost 10 years. It’s bloody, messy, filled with sassy wisecracks, and above all, very readable. For its target audience, it’ll be plenty. For people like us over the age of 20 who have been reading Shan’s work for near enough a decade, it’s not enough anymore. Honestly, if you’re over 18 or so, you’d be better off reading his adult novels instead.

The pictures are nice though.
 

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WASTELANDS 2 – MORE STORIES OF THE APOCALYPSE

BOOK REVIEW: WASTELANDS 2 – MORE STORIES OF THE APOCALYPSE / AUTHOR: GEORGE R.R. MARTIN, LAUREN BEUKES, SEANAN MCGUIRE / PUBLISHER: TITAN BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 27TH

There is something about the end of the world that authors can’t resist writing about. Wastelands 2 – More Stories of the Apocalypse gathers together thirty such tales to create a super bumper fun book of nightmarish dystopia, and it makes for an interesting collection.


Anthologies tend to fit into two broad types. One is a carefully collated and commissioned series of short stories with a common thread and ethos winding through, curated by an editor who has had some level of influence in the production and or selection of the stories. The other type is simply a collection of reprinted short stories, selected for a variety of reasons. Wastelands 2 is of the latter kind; each story can be found elsewhere. The editor has done very well to balance the theme and flavour across the collection, but with such a variable collection, the result is inevitably a bit hit and miss.

Highlights include “…for a single yesterday” by George R.R. Martin. This is one of Martin’s earlier works, and if you’re only familiar with his later fantasy novels you may in for a surprise as his style has evolved over his long career. This is a well spun tale of The Man, exotic drugs, rock & roll burn-out and the consequences of mixing unfamiliar types in a world with scant resources. Final Exam by Megan Arkenberg is a gloriously deconstructed tale parsed in the format of multiple choice. This cheerfully allows a steady and creepy style of storytelling, which is rather fantastic. Lauren Beuke’s Chislehurst Messiah is a lovely little venom-filled piece that sums up a very British Armageddon in a manner you wouldn’t expect it to happen, and Cory Doctorow’s Beat Me Daddy (Eight to the Bar) is as bleak as it is clever, detailing the misadventures of a band surviving the devastation, and what happens when someone new comes along.

They are few notable disappointments; Seanan McGuire is usually a reliable source of well written fiction, but her story Animal Husbandry is rather obvious throughout and goes in a straight line without doing much. James Van Pelt’s A Flock of Birds suffers from a similar problem; a good writer with a solid track record seemingly in phoning it in to produce a story that doesn’t really do anything. The collection also features a version of David Brin’s The Postman, which you should read if you’ve seen the movie and hated it; the written version is simply better. However, its inclusion does feel a little odd as, being a novella, it is quite long and, like several of the stories in this collection, feels like it’s just taking up space. Overall, a decent collection of stories to dip in and out of, ideal for those quiet moments when you need a bit of desolation fiction in your lives.

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THE SILENCE

BOOK REVIEW: THE SILENCE / AUTHOR: TIM LEBBON / PUBLISHER: TITAN BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: APRIL 17TH

Tim Lebbon has managed to build a name for himself in the apocalyptic horror genre. The Silence is the latest novel by Lebbon to focus on an apocalyptic world. The novel follows a family as they set out on a journey to find safety from creatures that are fast approaching the French coast and could possibly cross the channel into England. These creatures are blind, but track their prey through noise. The storyline of the novel revolves around a young girl called Ally, who is deaf. This sets up the novel in which Ally understands silence more than anyone, which just could be the family’s chance of survival.

The apocalyptic horror genre is becoming increasingly dominated by clique storylines which are taking over the genre. This is causing many storylines to appear similar in nature. However, Tim Lebbon is increasingly finding new ways to show readers that the genre still holds the potential for some originality in the storytelling. This novel allows the creatures to play a role in the background as their journey is tracked across Europe, allowing for suspense to be built over time and lets the reader see the development of the characters as the threat increasingly comes closer. The reader is also not bombarded with a constant narration of the devastation being caused. Instead, Lebbon cleverly places news reports and accounts from social media to show the reader the extent of the destruction being caused. This allows for the characters to be focused on, rather than the narration constantly deviating and the characters being pushed into the background.

Tim Lebbon is an outstanding author who is bringing originality to the genre.  The story is well told, with a mix of suspense, compelling characters and a hint of sadistic horror. At first, the novel can seem slow, but it is a requirement in this genre as its important to understand the characters before any physical threat is clearly placed in front of them. These types of novels unfortunately aren’t for everyone, with a slow pace and a lack of a clear threat until further into the novel. However, if you’re a fan of novels that focus on the end of the world, look no further than Tim Lebbon.  A truly great novel with a fresh and original story.
 

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GRINDHOUSE NOSTALGIA: MEMORY, HOME VIDEO, AND EXPLOITATION FILM FANDOM

BOOK REVIEW: GRINDHOUSE NOSTALGIA: MEMORY, HOME VIDEO, AND EXPLOITATION FILM FANDOM / AUTHOR: DAVID CHURCH / PUBLISHER: EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY PRESS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

David Church’s new book for Edinburgh University Press, Grindhouse Nostalgia: Memory, Home Video, and Exploitation Film Fandom, is a book which very ably takes its title and spins it into an entertaining and informative read. Church does what so many authors fail at, in that he lays out the exact amount of historical context required to understand the topic at hand.

He assumes that you have a general concept as to what a grindhouse is, but may not know how they came to be, so he gives you those particulars, then moves on to explaining how the reality of these theaters has been transmuted by time and distance. The background is both evidence to his point and something which clarifies issues to make his explanation more easily understood. So few authors are willing to take the couple paragraphs required to get everyone on the same page, that this simple gesture seems almost revolutionary.

The various sections of Grindhouse Nostalgia offer up different aspects of exploitation cinema, and each one relates what once was to modern interpretations or reproductions. A lot of the book is tied to the Robert Rodriguez/Quentin Tarantino double feature Grindhouse and how that particular feature set the modern template for how the exploitation cinema of the pre-digital age is now interpreted. Church devotes a lot of verbiage to the fact that the viewing experience is often what’s being reproduced, as opposed to the actual films themselves. So much effort is expended by directors in trying to make movies look faded, scratched, and as if they’ve been battered for ages, rather than tapping into the idea of attempting to make the best film possible for the money at hand. One could either agree with Church that the films of this “retrosploitation” age which best succeed are those which lean more toward pastiche or disagree and prefer those more akin to parody.

We’re inclined to agree with Church’s pastiche theory, especially as his final chapter, Dressed to Regress? The Retributive Politics of the Retrosploitation Pastiche, does an excellent job of demonstrating that films which take the shocking aspects of exploitation cinema – sex, race, and violence – and use them purely for prurient purposes, rather than as an incidental aspect of a grander story, are the films which seem shoddy, rather than fulfilling entertainment.

David Church’s Grindhouse Nostalgia is a book which spans decades, but in doing so, provides a modern context for films of a different age. It presents the films which homage that age in a light by which they can be analyzed as works on their own, as well as parodies or pastiches. It’s a fabulous addition to any film library.
 

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